South Africa is facing a shortage of veterinarians, and this could have serious implications for the country’s economy.
According to Dr Gert Steyn of the South African Veterinary Association, the country has only 3,500 registered veterinarians, and each contributes approximately R17.8 million to GDP annually. This means that their work, which includes providing services on farms, abattoirs, and feedlots, is critical for South Africa’s economy.
The shortage of vets has already led to risks to food safety and security, inadequate animal care, reduced food security, and an increased risk of animal disease. This, in turn, can have a crippling effect on the country’s agricultural sector, similar to the recent load-shedding crisis. To make matters worse, it’s very difficult for foreign vets to get work visas, and they’re required to do compulsory community service in South Africa.
The only way to address the vet shortage is to increase the number of veterinary professionals in the country, but this is an 8 to 10-year plan. A second veterinary faculty would need to be established at an existing university, which would require a large capital outlay.
The issue of animal health has been in the spotlight recently due to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever. Without enough veterinarians to identify and treat these diseases, South Africa could be facing food shortages and other issues.
It’s clear that the shortage of veterinarians in South Africa is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Without enough vets, the country’s agricultural sector, and its economy overall, could suffer. It’s important that the government takes steps to address this issue and increase the number of veterinary professionals in the country.
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